Steam-engine valve-gear.



LEGRAND SKINNER & F. WILLIAMS.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE GEAR. APPLICAHON FILED sumac, 191 I.

Patented June 15, 1915.

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LE GRAND sKmNEn Am; EDWIN r. WILLJTAMS, or ERIE, rnunsrnvamn, assxenons TO SKINNER ENGINE COMPANY, or runner-events, acoaroaa'rron or PENNSYLVANIA,

STEAM-ENGINE ALVE-ones.

Application filed September 30, 1911. Serial No. 652,087. 1 i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LE GRAND SKINNER and EDWIN F. \VILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification. A

This invention relates to steam engme valve-gear and has forits object the construction and combination of mechanism whereby the movementof the engine valves from a. closed to an open position and from suchopen to a closed position is instantane-- ously accompl1shed,-and whereby such 1nstantaneous opening, and closing may be timed as desired with relation to the travel of the piston to produce the desired pause in such open and closed positions.

Another feature of this invention is the provision on the upper ends of the. valvestems of adjusting mechanism, adapted to be operated when the mechanism is in oper ation and the arrangement and location of l the valve-gear on the top of the cylinder in such a manner that every part thereof is at all" times accessible for adjustment and repain Suitable mechanism whereby we accomplish these results is hereinafter fully set forth and explained and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

, Figure 1 shows a side view in elevation of an engine cylinder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same.

In these drawings A, is a steam engine cylinder; B, the exhaust chamber, and C the steam-chest, all of usual construction.

In the ends of the exhaust chamber B, Wemount exhaust valves l3, preferably of the puppet type, communicating with the ends inder in the usual manner,

The valve-stem B extends upward from the valve, through the, housing B and secured upon the upper end of the .va-lve stem B there is a sleeve 2, on the lower end of which there is a radial flange 3,'and on the upper end of said sleeve 2, there is a yoke In the top of the yoke l, thh're are Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 1, 1.5 1913?,

placed adjusting screws B having thereon lock-nuts B";

On the housing B there, are arms Bi 13. I

between which there is pivoted a bell-crank lever G, one of the arms of which extends into the yoke 4, when it/engagesthe lower end of the adjusting screw 13.. The opposite end 9-, of the bell-crank lever Gr, is provided with a roller as and for the purpose here inafter Set forth. For operating these b'ellcrank' levers G, we provide on the top of the exhaust chamber-a rock-shaft D, and. on the top of the steam-chest a rock-shaft The rock-shaft D- is provided with a downwardly extending'a-rm D", communicating with an eccentric rod F, and actuating the rockshaft D; and the rock-shaft E is provided with a like downwardly extending arm E communicating with an eccentric-rod F? for operating the rock-shaft'E. On throckshafts. D and E aresecured rock-arms H provided at their ends with cam-shaped surfaces it, having raised portions h thereon,

which cam-surfaces. h, engage the rollers g on the ends of the arms g on the bell-crank levers G, and as the end'of the .rock-arms H are-depressed the parts h of the cam sun faces-{IL operate on the rollers g to operate the bell-crank levers G to raise the valvestems B and C as the case maybe, and

thereby open the valve B, The inclination of the parts k of the cam-surfaces it being such that their action on the bell'crank' I leversG is gractically instantaneous, that are instantaneously opened to the valves their full capacity, and when the ends of the rock-arms H move upvvard the springs b operate on the valve ste'ms B and C to instantly close the valves. V

' The closing actionof the camsurfaceshl .v

and h, on the arms H, uponthe valves however, is such that the valve is not per-1 mitted to drop with "a" hammer-like blow uponi 'their seats; but instead the-closing movement of the valves is controlled b the cam-surfaces h, and h, the sui-it'ace remaiuing in contact with the roller g in the end of thearm g, of the lever G, the ladustin'g screw- 13, being for the purpose of;

taking up lost motion between the valvestem and the lever G. In this manner we are enabled to provide, quick acting valve mechanisms which by reason of their construction and arrangement are comparatively frictionless and require only a minimum amount of power to operate them.

' flange and said cylindrical housing,

oted upon said arms, one end of which eX- and cam mechanism actuated by some novlng part 01' the engine tends into said yoke,

to operate said lever to control the opening and closing of said valve, substantially as set forth. I I

2. The combination in an engine valve gear. of a valve. a valve-stein extending upvsard therefrom, a sleeve rigidly secured upon the upper end of said valve-stein, a radial flange on said sleeve, a cylindrical housing inclosing said sleeve and flange, a spring on said sleeve between said radial flange and said cylindrical housing, a yoke integral with said sleeve and an adjusting shrew in sauh yoke, arms on the side of said (i 'lll\(ll.lCiLl. housing, a lever pivoted on said ivl at I claim as new and desire to a sleeve rigidly secured arms one end of which extends into and engages the lovver end of said adJustmg screw,

and cam mechanism actuated by some moving part of the engine to operate said lever to control the opening and closing of said valve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of an engine cylinder, a valve-stem housing there n, a valve, a stem thereon, a spring Within said housing operating to cause said valve-stern to seat said valve, and 'an operating device operating to cause said valve-stem to lit't said valve, substantially as set forth.

l. The combination of an engine cylinder, a valve-stem housing thereon, a valve-provided with-a stem which extends through i said housing, a sleeve secured on the upper end of said valve-stem, a collar around said sleeve, a spring Within said housing operating on said collar to seat said valve, an operating lever outside of said housing adapted to lift said valve, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of an engine cylinder, a valve-stem housing'thereon, a valve-stem within the housing, a yoke secured to they upper end of the valve-stem, means engaging said yoke for operating it in one direction and spring mechanism Within the housing for operating the stem in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof WG- atlix our signatures, in presence of two Witnesses.

LE GRAND SKINNER. EDWIN F. WILLIAMS.

. itnesses:

P. V. Girronn, H. M. STURGEON. 

